Robert Downey Jr.

We do not understand the mysteries of the universe. With every breakthrough comes the revelation that we know less than we thought we did. Our plane of existence is beset on all sides by things we cannot comprehend, ideas we can barely grasp, and riddles whose answers lie in another time or dimension.

When Robert Downey Jr. isn’t busy playing Iron Man, he’s busy producing movies that he usually stars in. And his next project seems tailor-made for RDJ’s talents — namely, it requires him to play a charismatic white collar criminal, and who is more charismatic than Robert Downey Jr.? Okay, Jennifer Lawrence. But that’s it.

Captain America: Civil War seems like it could be another Avengers installment with so many members of the MCU reprising their roles for Cap’s third outing. But that’s kind of the point, since this film is primed to make major waves in the Marvel universe, completely altering the future of our heroes. New set photos definitely confirm how much of a superhero party this is, with Jeremy Renner, Robert Downey Jr., Paul Rudd and more hanging out on set.

Captain America: Civil War is in production, and it has the official synopsis and cast list to prove it. The film, which will see Captain America come to blows with Iron Man, already feels like one of the boldest entries on the Marvel horizon. Can it make Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s infamous series work within confines of the MCU? Can it effectively juggle a cast list that seemingly grows bigger with each passing week? Whether you’re a hardcore fan nitpicking every decision or a casual observer trying to figure out what the hell is going on, don’t worry. We’ve got this. If you only know your Marvel heroes through the movies or never got around to reading 2007’s Civil War series, we’ve put together a primer on everything you need to know. SPOILERS for the comic (but not necessarily the movie!) lie ahead.

You see the release date in the image there: May 6, 2016. Marvel Phase Three kicks off exactly one year from yesterday with the release of Captain America: Civil War. With the clock ticking, and the Avengers: Age of Ultron publicity tour finally winding down, it’s time to get to shooting Cap 3. Marvel announced today that production has officially begun on next summer’s massive sequel, and they also revealed four more big additions to the cast.

It’s not too early to start looking ahead to Captain America: Civil War, right? I mean Avengers: Age of Ultron has already been out for five days; that’s soooooo last week. With Marvel it’s always about what comes next. And what comes next (okay after Ant-Man, which is a little disconnected from the main Marvel Cinematic Universe storyline) is Captain America: Civil War, where Chris Evans’ Captain America and Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man will apparently get into a tussle over ... something. Maybe they argue over whether the Hulk and Black Widow should have hooked up in Avengers 2. I don’t know.

The superheroes at the center of Avengers: Age of Ultron resonate so strongly with so many people because they’re so deeply entrenched in popular culture. Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk were around for years before Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo were even born. These aren’t just characters – they’re icons. And while serious comic book nerds know how much Earth’s mightiest heroes have changed with the times, taking a look back at what the likes of Black Widow and Hawkeye and the Vision used to look like is both entertaining and (dare we say it?) educational.

There’s a lot to like about Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the coolest thing about it is the way it reclaims the comic book part of the phrase “comic-book movie.” Rather than using these characters to do something “edgy” or “adult” or “important,” or sanding down their quirkier edges to appeal to as broad and mainstream an audience as possible, Age of Ultron doubles down on its source material’s geeky origins.

Everyone is going to see Avengers: Age of Ultron because it’s filled with big action carried out by men and women in cool superhero costumes. But if it’s anything like the first Avengers, it will resonate because the people in those costumes are a blast to be around. The latest clip from Joss Whedon’s eagerly anticipated sequel is light on action but heavy on group camaraderie. Scenes like this are going to make Age of Ultron a billion dollar movie.